Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-12-16
Fighting a Powerful Enemy.
BY JAMES FRANKLIN F1rTs.

NOTE. I first heard the following strange in
cident tcld ten years ago, by DR.. Charles N.
Palmer, of I4ockport, n. y. At the time OF the
denth of General Grant, the Doctor gave the de-
tails Of it to the reporter of local paper, who
published them. did not procure u copy and,
being unable to soc the Doctor at this writing,
| must depend entirely on my recollection, which
does not preserve the number of the regiment,
the arm of the service, or the State. But the
main incident Is related without the least en-
Enlistment, and it is more than likely that
some OF the veteran readers of Tue CHICAGO
LEDGER will have some knowledge of it, Know
ing its author cannot doubt it's truth; and it
is strange enough to deserve a wide reading
among the War Memories.
I was surgeon of the regiment. It
was the summer Of 1864, and our
armies were before Petersburg and
Richmond. l found plenty to do, with
the ordinary sickness Of a regiment at
that season, together with the casual
ties of such situation. My assistants
and myself were kept busy; but there
was no epidemic, and nothing alarm
ing that had heard Of had occurred
in the way of sickness.
One day 1 was sent for to see q SOL
der who had been taken with sudden
illness. went and saw him. He was
young fellow whom we'll knew, and
1 had lately seen him in perfect health.
[ found him now fiat on his back, with
declining pulse, skin pallid and cold.
with profuse sweat and with frequent
vomiting. 70 say that I was startled
by these symptoms and some others
that observed, would be to state my
feelings very mildly. It was genuine
case of Asiatic cholera!
1 gave directions for his treatment
and returned to my tent. A single
case of this dreadful disease was not to
be expected. and [ waited with consid-
cradle agitation for another summons.
1t came soon enough. The same symp
toms, the same disease. 1 left this
second case with the pleasant certainty
that an epidemic had started right
there in our camp that was likely to
spread through the Army of the Pc.
tomac and the Army of the James, and
effectually raise the sieges of Peters
burg and Richmond.
i had, of course, told no one what
the real trouble was. I went now to
the Colonel, tool, him aside. and gave
him the startling truth. His face got
pretty white as he heard me.
why, great God. Doctor!" he said.
Are you sure"
Eyes; perfectly sure"
Cant it be something else?"
mo- There's no room for mistake.
It's the malignant Asiatic cholera, and
nothing else"
What shall we do?"
had made up my mind about that
while was walking swiftly to the
Colonel.
1--WE got plan," I said, "that will
do; but it must be acted on Instantly.
We must have no delay at all. It's no
time for respectful written communi-
cations sent up through the regular
channels and all that sort OF thing.
Come along; I'm going to see General
Grant"
You can't get to him"
II mast get to him! And when l
tell him what's up he'll be very glad
that I did get to him"
The Colonel walked along with me.
he was not we'll recovered from the
amazement and CONSERVATION into
which I had thrown him, and he was
quite willing to be told what to 40.
he had no faith that could get to
General Grant with my strange DIS
.iosufe; DuG happened W hno" VIC
man better than he did. Several cases
mad come to my knowledge as med
lea! officer where the General had sum-
marily cut red tape, and in which the
words, "by command of Genera!
Grant, had worked wonders, without
regard to time or intermediate com
handlers And as to getting to him
l know that for any one who had any
real reason to see him, it was easier tc
get hearing than it was with any one
OF dozen brigadiers commanding al
visions that could name.
Our camp was near City Point, ana
We had the good fortune to 60 to head,
Quarters at time when the General
was there I Just penciled on o caro-
o oe names, stating that we desired te
'ee h'za on tho most urgent business